Flash Points:

• SFU Football hosts Sacred Heart on Saturday for Senior Day.
• Kickoff is scheduled for Noon at DeGol Field on NEC Front Row.
• Sacred Heart is 3-6 overall and 1-3 in the NEC.
• The Pioneers ranks fourth in the NEC in scoring (27.3 ppg) and second in total offense (419.9 ypg).
• Sacred Heart QB Kevin Duke is a dual-threat with 13 passing and five rushing touchdowns this year.
• The Pioneers' defense ranks sixth in the NEC in scoring, allowing 28.9 points per game.

Sacred Heart | 12 p.m. | DeGol Field | NEC Front Row | Live Stats | Senior Day | Veteran's Day | Canned Food Drive
 
Sacred Heart Notes | Two-Deep
 
LORETTO, Pa. – The Saint Francis Football team returns to DeGol Field for its final home game of the 2017 season.  The Red Flash is set for a Noon kickoff against Sacred Heart, with a broadcast on NEC Front Row.  SFU will honor its senior class as part of Senior Day.
 
Sacred Heart is led by Head Coach Mark Nofri, who is 36-31 in his sixth season leading the program.  The Pioneers are 3-6 overall and 1-3 in the NEC this season.
 
The Pioneers suffered a tough 48-45 setback at Bryant last Saturday.  Sacred Heart led 24-21 at halftime, but Bryant scored 27 of the game's next 33 points to take a 48-30 lead.  The Pioneers stormed back to a three-point deficit, 48-45, with 6:17 left.  SHU was driving into Bryant territory with under two minutes remaining, but Kevin Duke was intercepted by Bryant's Richard Ukele to end the drive. 
 
Sacred Heart totaled 556 yards, including 429 passing and 127 rushing.  Duke completed 39-of-62 passes, including three touchdowns and an interception.  Andrew O'Neill caught 11 passes for 142 yards and two touchdowns, while Byron Barney had 10 catches for 97 yards and a score.  Ezekiel Ennis added nine catches for 94 yards and Nate Chavious rushed for 87 yards and two touchdowns.
 
The Pioneers allowed 505 yards, including 345 through the air and 160 on the ground.  Sacred Heart forced one turnover, an interception, and recorded a sack.  Linebacker Pat Lukert led the Pioneers with eight tackles, half a tackle for loss, and an interception.  Defensive end Max Trudeau contributed seven tackles and a sack and cornerback Khaamal Whitaker had five tackles, with one for loss.
 
Sacred Heart ranks fourth in the NEC in scoring, with 27.3 points per game, and second in total offense, with 419.9 yards per game.  The Pioneers are averaging 236.2 passing yards, ranking third in the conference, and 183.7 rushing yards, good for second in the league.
 
Kevin Duke is the starting signal caller for the Pioneers.  He took over at quarterback after the graduation of four-year starter R.J. Noel.  The 5-foot-11, 197-pound Duke has completed just under 62 percent of his passes this year for 2,126 yards, 13 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.  He's also rushed for 324 yards and five touchdowns. 
 
Sacred Heart has an impressive collection of running backs.  Five-foot-nine, 185-pound senior Nate Chavious leads the group with 375 yards and two touchdowns, while averaging 4.9 yards per carry.  Junior Jordan Meachum, five-foot-seven, 192 pounds, has rushed for 332 yards and three touchdowns, while fifth-year senior Ose Imeokparia, five-foot-11, 187-pounds, has 259 yards and five scores.  Junior Eli Terry, 5-foot-11, 204 pounds, has 244 yards and a touchdown. 
 
A talented group of receivers is led by six-foot senior Byron Barney, who has caught 55 passes for 709 yards and four touchdowns.  He ranks 18th in the FCS in receptions per game.  Senior Andrew O'Neil, 5-foot-11, has 585 yards and four scores on 50 receptions.  Five-foot-nine freshman Ezekiel Ennis has 21 catches for 202 yards and two touchdowns.  Senior tight end Jaylin Deveau has seven receptions for 91 yards.
 
The Sacred Heart offensive line features three fifth-year seniors and two juniors.  The group has combined for 126 starts.  Fifth-year left tackle Sean Peters and fifth-year left guard Sean Merrill lead the group with 31 starts each.  Junior right guard Knikeem Lewis has 23 career starts, while fifth-year center Brad Tiernan and junior right tackle Andrew Starr have 21 and 20 starts, respectively.
 
The Pioneers use a 4-3 defensive scheme.  They rank sixth in the NEC, allowing 28.9 points per game.  SHU is giving up 347.1 total yards per game, ranking fourth in the conference.  They rank second in the league in rushing defense, 139 yards per game, and fifth in pass defense, 208.1 yards per game.  Sacred Heart has forced nine turnovers, including seven interceptions, and recorded 16 sacks. 
 
Fifth-year tackle Delvon Artis leads the defensive line with 35 tackles, 16 solo, seven tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks.  At the other tackle position is junior Christian LoDolce, who has recorded 18 tackles, eight solo and two for loss.  Preseason All-NEC senior defensive end Dylan Ackerson has collected 19 tackles, five solo, five tackles for loss, two sacks and a forced fumble.  Senior end Max Trudeau has 36 stops, with 19 solo, 6.5 for loss, three sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.  Senior end Jake Davis is part of the rotation with 21 tackles, 11 solo, and three sacks.
 
Senior middle linebacker CJ Parvelus paces the linebacker group with 83 tackles, including 44 solo, four for loss, half a sack and an interception.  Fifth-year outside linebacker Kevin Barry leads the Pioneers with 10.5 tackles for loss to go with 73 tackles, a sack, a forced fumble and a pick.  Junior Kevin Sears also lines up on the outside with 38 tackles, including 25 solo and 1.5 for loss.  Fifth-year Mustapha Noibi sees time at linebacker and safety and has 22 tackles this year.
 
The secondary is led by fifth-year cornerback Khaamal Whitaker who has 51 tackles, with three for loss, a forced fumble, two pass breakups and three interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown.  At the other corner position is sophomore Denzel Williams, who has 13 stops and two pass breakups.  Sophomore safety Aaron Thompson has 27 tackles, with one for loss, and two pass breakups.  Fifth-year safety Tim Johnson has 26 tackles and three pass breakups, while fellow safety Alec Finelli has 24 tackles, one for loss, and a forced fumble. 
 
Senior Josh Freiria handles the kicking duties and has made six-of-nine attempts this season, with a long of 46.  He is 26-of-29 on extra point attempts.  Freiria also serves as SHU's punter.  He is averaging 32 yards per punt, with a long of 50, and has placed five inside the 20.  Ezekiel Ennis is one of the most dangerous kick returners in the FCS, averaging 25.7 yards per return, including a 98-yard touchdown return at Bucknell.  Jordan Meachum is averaging 21.6 yards per return.
 
Saint Francis trails 11-10 in the all-time series, but has won five straight matchups.  SFU earned a 38-17 victory last year at Campus Field.  Kamron Lewis (Fresno, Calif./Edison) caught three touchdown passes, including a 73-yarder, as part of a 10-catch, 184-yard day.  Avery Miliner (Clayton, Ohio/Northmont) rushed for 96 yards in what was his college debut.